Hello Everyone,
My name is Angie this is my very first time posting. My husband is in Louisiana State Prison and has been sentenced to life. He's been there for 13 years, and currently going in and out of court for re sentencing, that can take years he is now 29 years old. In June my husband start experience horrible leg pain in one of his legs. The prison really didn't do much about, they told him he had an high ankle sprang and to stay off it as much as possible. They determined this without doing any kind of test. Well over the weeks his leg got so big (like an elephant leg) he couldn't walk, he was put in a wheel chair. They told him it was fluid so they put him on some fluid pills. In August it got so bad they had to ship him to a hospital in New Orleans (LSU), and that's when they found out that he had 2 blood clots in his ankle. The doctors at LSU put him on blood thinners and manage to make one of the blood clots disappear and the other one manageable, he was able to walk around on a walking stick. When he went back to the prison all the prison had to do was monitor that one blood clot and give him the proper medicine that was prescribe by the doctors at LSU and every thing would have ran smooth. They didn't so his leg swelled back up and that one blood clot eventually moved behind his knee. Instead of them treating him, they put him on antibiotics, blood pressure pills, and some other stuff. They didn't do a MRI or an X-ray or any other blood tests they just assumed. In October he got to the point where he start hearing things and forgetting a lot as well. His head was constantly hurting, and he really couldn't focus. His blood pressure had got so high they had to rush him back to the hospital in New Orleans (LSU) they did one simple test that Angola (the prison) should have did way back in June, they ran an x-ray and MRI. To find out that my husband have bone Cancer (Osteosarcoma which is a childs type Cancer) and due to the blood clot not getting treated pieces of it broke off into his lungs and brain. He now also have a Tumor on the dangerous part of his brain. He started his first chemo on my birthday November 13. And since then he had 3 treatments. The chemo helped the bone cancer, and cleared his lungs but made the tumor grow. Mark can't walk and at times its hard to hear what he's saying. They have him on so much pain medicine. He can't stand long enough to get in the shower, so therefore if one of his friends don't come over to visit him he can't get clean. He start his radiation next week. I'm praying that the Tumor shrink small enough where he want have to get surgery, or if he do have to get the surgery it want cause any damage. He need to come home, some of the nurses or so mean. They tell him stuff like he should give up and they can give him some medicine that will make him more comfortable to let go. Stuff he don't need to hear, he's depressed because he can't see his family as much as he would like. Has anyone every heard about an emergency release program for situations like this? If so please please please help me bring my husband home so he can get the proper treatment and support he need..... Thanks for taking out the time to read all this, I know its a lot to take in but I need help.. Thanks Again Angie.....

Angie, that is one of the saddest stories I have read here on PTO. I am so sorry for all that you are going through.

I think what you are asking for is compassionate release. I do not know if that is possible in your state. I would direct you to the Louisiana forum as perhaps someone there will know if it is even possible.

The prison will not make it easy. There are some things that you need to think about and have a plan in place in the event that you can move forward. Your husband is very ill. He will need a doctor and nursing care. How will you provide that if he is released?

Perhaps his doctor that he had prior to incarceration?

Next, you will need copies of his medical records. Any doctor will need this. He can request this now. Allow at least 2 months for them to produce it. Once he gets it, he can send it home to you. Without this information, there will be disruption in his care.

He will need radiation therapy to continue if he is released. Begin to think about how he will get to LSU Cancer Center and back for these treatments.

Does he have a PICC line or an Infusaport for blood work and medications? If not, advise him to ask for one.

If you have children, you will need to start thinking about what to tell them either way. They will need to know that he is sick and they will have questions.

If your state does have compassionate release, begin to formulate a plan for how you will address the above issues, and then proceed. If your state does not have compassionate release, ask to have him moved to the hospital unit. He will be treated better and at a bare minimum they will provide radiation therapy, chemotherapy and pain management for him.

Please let me know how I can help you.

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And here's a link to an MSNBC article about another Angola prisoner, who also had cancer. He had a lawyer who was trying to get him a compassionate release, so you might want to call and inquire about the necessary steps to take. He was eventually released, but passed away. http://www.msnbc.com/melissa-harris-...-hoping-compas

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Thank you so much for responding to my post. Unfortunately my husband passed away on December 28,2013. 9 days after posting my thread. The prison would have released him only if the hospital sent him back to the prison, but it was impossible because during the time he was on a breathing machine, and the doctors wasn't 100% sure he would last long without the machine, so it was a lost battle. The prison fought us so hard the whole time, and for I know it was his time to leave us, the Wardens and doctors at that prison had a lot to do with my husbands death, they mis diagnosed him and refused him several of treatments because they said it was to expensive. But thank you so much for responding..

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oh I am so sorry for your loss ..this is so sad and so unneccessary..I hope you were able to see him before he passed ..I am so sorry that nurses and people in the medical profession did not treat your husband with the compassion that all human beings deserve ..I am not sure how they can live with themselves I know I would not be able to..take care of yourself and so damn sorry !

I have looked many times for an update. It was very gracious of you through your grief to notify us. I am deeply sorry for your loss. I hope that they let you be with your husband. As others have said, this is depraved indifference, and probably negligence.

OMG, this is such a sad story and a horrible case of abuse. My husband is in FCI FW on the jail side awaiting final sentencing next week (facing 30 to life) and although they have told him his liver count is very very high and he has an extremely bad spreading rash on his head, neck & shoulders, they are doing NOTHING for him. I am not sure how to proceed or if they even will do anything at all. They have taken his blood 3 times over the past 6 weeks but NEVER given results, the doctor said he even forgot they had already taken blood, WOW! They should be checking him for Hepatitis instead time just goes by. I was horrified when I read your post to learn that medical assistance is basically non-existant. So sorry for your loss, may the Lord be with you & your family.

So sorry for your loss and the pain and suffering your husband went through. Prayers for you and your family.The treatment of your husband is very sad and how the system and other people in the medical field could be so heartless and uncaring toward another human being....my heart goes out to you.